Air hostesses: From dreams of flying to grounded realities

When it comes to being an air hostess, many young girls dream of becoming one to experience flying, interacting with diverse people on board, visiting different places, and for the attractive pay package.

But seldom do we know of the hardships that go with becoming one of these charismatic sky companions.

According to Suraksya Shrestha who finished her training and applied for a job in airlines, says that, “To apply for air hostess you should be above 18 years old, you also need to have a good academic qualification, be unmarried, have good eyesight, should have an appropriate BMI (Body mass index), and be fluent in both English and Nepali. I personally had 4 months of training.”

“Because of the third wave of COVID 19, the training got all messed up but somehow I completed my training and applied at 2 airlines and am currently waiting for their calls. If my CV is shortlisted then they would fix the interview and inform me”, she adds.

In conversation with Alicia Rana Magar (Pseudonyms), she says, “After my intermediate, I did a flight attendant course of 6 months but luckily got a chance to work at an airport company as a ground hostess in 2 and a half months of my training.”

“It became difficult for me to work and train at the same time. So, I couldn't complete my 6 months course and had to leave after 3 months”, she adds. Magar then also applied to one of the airlines and after a week she was called for her first interview.

At first, they measure the interviewee and wait for their turn, according to the token number they get. They are asked to pick a paper from a raffle draw and have to answer the very question. “As it was my first interview, I was literally shivering. But somehow I mustered up myself and pledged to pass the interview”, Magar says.

But then one of the girls who was there for the interview started telling me, “Even though I am beyond the age limit for being an air hostess, I know some dignitaries from this field, so I am here.” After the interview, Magar checked the airline's site and she didn’t get selected.

Magar didn’t lose hope and applied to another airline after 8-9 months. At first, they didn’t call her for the interview but the next time they did call her on the recommendation of one of her friends. The process was the same as before but what they asked her was ‘Do you know someone from airlines?’

“I said yes and took my friend's name who was working in the cabin crew but then they asked me if I knew someone from the upper level”, she said. Though she heard the name of a caption from her friend, she couldn't take his name thinking that they might ask another question related to him. And she didn’t get selected again. The one thing is that the airlines didn’t let the interviewee know the reason behind their rejection.

Then she started thinking that maybe in every field one needs source and force. “I am not saying that there is politics in every airline, maybe I had my weakness too and that is why I didn’t get selected but I’m glad that I didn't lie”, she explains.

Adding further, “I’ve hustled a lot and now I do not even have any hope of being an air hostess. But everyone does not have the same story, many have achieved their goal and became an air hostess even without having an upper hand.”

Likewise, Kritika Lama (Pseudonyms) says that, “I’ve applied for an interview to almost each and every airline. They have their own process regarding the interview.” They didn’t ask her directly if she knew someone but did get to know that if you know someone from high ground, then you don’t have to wait in a line for the interview.

“You’re allowed to go first for the interview, and for one who does not have the high ground, they have to wait for almost 4-5 hours. I don’t know if it still happens or not, but I really do want to try for an air hostess one more time”, she adds.

Magar and Lama have hustled a lot and now they do not even have any hope of being an air hostess. But everyone does not have the same story, many have achieved their goal and become air hostesses even without having an upper hand.

Like them, there might be many other stories of dreams being shattered or stories about dreams being successful. We don’t know if talent counts or if knowing some dignitaries is more important.